Technologies

feeding the future

TOP 60 Finalists announced!

400

Challengers

6

Tracks

60

Finalists

1

Winner
Alternative
Proteins
Functional Food
Personalised
Nutrition
Midstream Tech
Food Waste
Agri Tech

Showcase your business, gain visibility, and build new partnerships 

At Food Tech Challengers, we are on a mission to pinpoint the most game-changing solutions that will transform the way we produce and consume food. If your company creates disruptive solutions, this is your chance to put your product or service in the spotlight.

Food Tech Challengers provides startups from all over the globe a unique opportunity to take center stage, gain global media exposure, and showcase their solutions to a distinctive panel of 30+ investors, industry leaders and experts.

To enter, startups must be innovators in one of the six tracks fostering the food tech innovation – Functional Food, Alternative Proteins, Food Waste, Personalised Nutrition, Midstream Tech and Agri Tech.

60 finalists. 1 Winner

TOP-60 companies (10 in each track) are shortlisted by a distinguished panel of industry experts from global corporations, venture capitals, ecosystem builders and media partners.

All finalists are invited to pitch live at Food Tech Congress 2023, the leading industry conference of the year. Taking place on May 31 – June 1, 2023, the event offers invaluable networking opportunities and media exposure. 

One company is announced the Ultimate Winner of Food Tech Challengers 2023.

Timeline

1

Application
deadline

September 20

2

Top 60
announced

October 11

3

Top 60
pitches

May 31 – June 1, 2023 @
Food Tech Congress

4

Top 6 pitches & Winner
announced

May 31 – June 1, 2023 @
Food Tech Congress

Timeline

1

Application
deadline

September 20

2

Top 60
announced

October 11

3

Top 60
pitches

May 31 – June 1, 2023 @ Food Tech Congress

4

Top 6 pitches & Winner
announced

May 31 – June 1, 2023 @ Food Tech Congress

Why join Food Tech Challengers?

Unparalleled
Networking

All finalists are granted a free ticket to Food Tech Congress 2023, taking place in Warsaw, Poland on May 31 – June 1, 2023. Over 1000 industry visionaries will gather to share disruptive ideas and network with a group of peers. This is your perfect chance to network and hold 1:1 meetings with the key players in food and agri tech.

Remarkable
Jury Members

Present your ground-breaking solution in front of a remarkable jury comprising the representatives of top notch venture capitals and corporations. This annual competition is designed to empower entrepreneurs and help them build new partnerships that will lead to future industry breakthroughs.

Brand
Exposure

Do not miss out on the opportunity to share your brand’s story with a global audience of over 1000 attendees. Food Tech Challengers also welcomes journalists from the world’s leading media companies to give your company unparalleled reach.

TOP 60 Finalists announced!

Application to the FTC is entirely free and every finalist company (60 in total/10 per track) is granted 1 free ticket to Food Tech Congress 2023. May the odds be in your favour!

Meet the jury

Gil Horsky

Gil Horsky

Director of Ventures SnackFutures @ Mondelēz International

Signe Causse

Signe Causse

Global Innovation Marketing Leader, Re-Imagine Wellness @ IFF

Shankar Shubhang

Shankar Shubhang

Managing Director @ Syngenta Group Ventures

Nigel Hughes

Nigel Hughes

Senior Vice President Global R&D and Innovation @ Kellogg

Henrietta Hearth

Henrietta Hearth

Vice President @ Big Idea Ventures

Jelena Erker

Jelena Erker

Associate Director in the Agribusiness @ EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

Andrew D Ive

Andrew D Ive

General Managing Partner @ Big Idea Ventures

Nikolaus Raupp

Nikolaus Raupp

Investment Manager @ HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds Management)

Alexander Wiegelmann

Alexander Wiegelmann

General Partner @ KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA

Marie Asano

Marie Asano

Partner @ ECFB (European Circular Bioeconomy Fund)

Madhusudan Patel

Director, New Ventures & Tech Scouting Global R&D @ IFF

Piotr Grabowski

Piotr Grabowski

Co-Founder @ Foodtech.ac

Micol Chiesa

Micol Chiesa

Investor and Head of responsible investing @ Five Seasons Ventures

Michael Betz

Dr Michael Betz

Head of Food Technology @ Handtmann

Louise Heiberg

Louise Heiberg

Senior Investment Manager @ PINC – Paulig Incubator

Brett Brohl

Brett Brohl

Managing Partner @ Bread and Butter Ventures

Kristen Rocca

Kristen Rocca

Principal @ Unovis Asset Management

Gonzalo Perez

Gonzalo Perez-Taiman

Managing Director @ Arpegio

Florence Dusseaux

Florence Dusseaux

Food Consulting - Vegan Expert @ vegg2food

Catherine Trillo-Blanco

Catherine Trillo-Blanco

Global Growth Platform Manager - Plant Protein @ Symrise

Matthew Tebeau

Matthew Tebeau

Chief Operational Officer @ Proteonpharma

Jurgen Sonneborn

Jurgen Sonneborn

Senior Advisor Foreign Direct Investment Food @ Oost NL

Florian Herkner

Florian Herkner

Global Platform Manager - Plant-based Business Incubation Group Symrise @ Symrise

Sven Janssen

Dr Sven Janssen

Partner and Managing Director @ TMF Growth

Giancarlo Addario

Giancarlo Addario

Principal @ Five Seasons Ventures

Jordi Ràfols Fernández

Jordi Ràfols Fernández

CEO @ Innoget

Marcus Hølland Eikeland

Marcus Hølland Eikeland

Program Director & Partner @ Katapult

Dr Jaleh Daie

Dr Jaleh Daie

Partner @ Aurora Equity

Rebecca Brill

Rebecca Brill

Investor @ Rvent

Ivaylo Simov

Ivaylo Simov

Managing Partner @ Eleven Ventures

Kip Stringfellow

Kip Stringfellow

Venture Partner @ VU Venture Partners

Jaroslav Trojan

Jaroslav Trojan

Managing Partner @ Nation 1 VC

Iris ten Have

Iris ten Have

Head of Science @ Extantia

Ian Marsh

Ian Marsh

Partner @ DN Capital

Elise Godinez Kern

Elise Godinez Kern

SVP, Data and Insights @ Aromyx

Chris Wu

Chris Wu

Vice President @ Impact Engine

Annina Winkler

Annina Winkler

Investment Manager - Food & Agriculture @ Emerald Technology Ventures

Teemu Mattila

Teemu Mattila

Principal @ DN Capital

Mariliis Holm

Mariliis Holm

Co-Founder & Partner @ Sustainable Food Ventures

Kasia Gil

Kasia Gil

Analyst Food and Agriculture @ Icos Capital

Matt Jensen

Matt Jensen

Investor @ G2 Venture Parners

Gerald Leitner

Gerald Leitner

Partner @ Tradition Meets Future

Carole Bingley

Carole Bingley

Technical Specialist @ RSSL (Reading Scientific Services)

Nemanja Grgic

Nemanja Grigic

Technical Cooperation Manager, Agribusiness @ EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

Silla Scheepens

Silla Scheepens

Partner @ Future Food Fund

Alice Brown

Alice Brown

Senior Associate, Climate and Sustainability @ Global Counsel

Julian Klaiber

Julian Klaiber

Investment Assosiate @ Munich VP

Peter Schmetz

Peter Schmetz

Investment Manager @ Vorwerk Ventures

Beatriz Jacoste

Beatriz Jacoste

Director @ KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub

Christopher Aurand

Christopher Aurand

Open Innovation Leader @ Thai Union

Christian Guba

Christian Guba

Principal @ Food Labs

Ewa Karólewska

Ewa Karólewska

Project Manager on Startup Support @ European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Food

Inbar Maymon-Pomeranchik

Inbar Maymon-Pomeranchik

Co-Founder & CEO @ AgChimedes

Michał Piosik

Michał Piosik

Co-Founder @ Foodtech.ac

We announce new jury members every week.
Stay tuned!

Watch Food Tech Challengers 2021 Recap

Brought to you by

Food Tech Challengers is brought to you by Futurae Media, a global event organiser fostering innovation across multiple industries like Energy and Mobility, Food and Agriculture, Healthcare, and Urban Tech.

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